The letters “ea” can make different sounds in English, depending on the word. Here are the three common pronunciations: 1. Long /ē/ (as in “eat”) – The “ea” is pronounced like the long “e” sound. • Example: eat, team, bean 2. Short /e/ (as in “bread”) – The “ea” is pronounced like a short “e” sound. • Example: bread, head, spread 3. Long /ā/ (as in “great”) – In some words, “ea” is pronounced like the long “a” sound. • Example: great, break, steak These variations happen due to different pattern